Wi-Fi Tips: How safe is public Wi-Fi and what are the dangers, it is very important for you to know..

We all use Wi-Fi. Many people use Wi-Fi every day and many people use it occasionally, but those who have a smartphone use Wi-Fi. Earlier this year, the Pradhan Mantri Wi-Fi Access Network Interface (PM-WANI) scheme was launched under which people are getting Wi-Fi facilities in public places. There are many things said about public Wi-Fi, but you need to understand how safe is their use. Let us know...

What are public Wi-Fi networks?

Wi-Fi networks installed in public places are called public Wi-Fi. Usually, public Wi-Fi is at places like railway stations, hotels, coffee shops, bus stands, etc. Apart from this, such Wi-Fi networks are also present at airports. Sometimes Wi-Fi in public places is free and sometimes it is secured through a password. Usually, people find public Wi-Fi safe and convenient but in reality, it is not so.

Disadvantages of using public Wi-Fi?

A report in August this year claimed that Bengaluru residents lost Rs 845 crore to cyber scams in the first six months of 2024. Debit and credit card frauds accounted for the highest number of incidents reported, accounting for 1,485 of the total. The total number of scam cases was 9,260 with most victims using Wi-Fi at hotels, lounges, and other public places before making online transactions.

Reasons for public Wi-Fi being unsafe

Open networks: Public Wi-Fi lacks data encryption, making your data easily accessible.

Fake hotspots: Hackers trap users by creating fake Wi-Fi networks.

Man-in-the-middle attacks: Hackers can steal data by intercepting the information between you and the Wi-Fi network.

Malware risk: Malware can be installed unknowingly on public networks.